


out of the sea

by yousayitspoison



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Kim Seungmin is a Good Friend, Lee Felix & Seo Changbin are Best Friends, Lee Felix is Whipped (Stray Kids), Little Mermaid AU, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Merpeople, Prince Hwang Hyunjin, Royalty, Soft Lee Felix (Stray Kids), changbin is flounder and i will fight everyone on this, merman lee felix, yeah jyp is ursula
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27200107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yousayitspoison/pseuds/yousayitspoison
Summary: rebellious 16-year-old merman Felix is fascinated with life on land. On one of his visits to the surface, which are forbidden by his controlling father, King Chan, he falls for a human prince. Determined to be with his new love, Felix makes a dangerous deal with the sea wizard Jinyoung to become human for three days.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han & Lee Felix, Hwang Hyunjin & Kim Seungmin, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix, Lee Felix & Seo Changbin, Lee Felix & Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by this pinterest post
> 
> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/5699937017207552/

The air was cold and crisp against Hyunjin's face, he shook his hair out of his eyes. He gazed at the seemingly endless expanse of ocean, watched the waves lap at the cliffs beneath his balcony window.

Hyunjin missed the sea, the smell of the salty sea air, the wind blowing in his face. It was a perfect day to be at sea and here he was confined in a bedroom. He had recently returned from an overseas trip, normally this would have excited him. But he spent more time entertaining potential future brides and grooms his parents set him up with rather than out at sea. Sometimes he felt like his one true love would always be the sea.

_At least I'm home again_ , Hyunjin thought to himself. _I wonder where Mark is? I would have thought he'd come by and say hello by now._

Mark Tuan was a old family friend of the royal family, he also served as the royal adviser. The king wasn't the only one he advised however, Hyunjin couldn't have imagined his childhood without Mark. He had always been there, his presence was comforting. Hyunjin often went to him when stressed or upset, Mark nearly always found a way to cheer him up or relieve his stress even if only a little bit.

Hyunjin pulled his hair back into a ponytail and grabbed his boots on the way to the door just as it opened to reveal Mark. Mark smiled and stepped forward to engulf Hyunjin in a tight hug. 

"How have you been? Eating and sleeping well I hope?" Mark asked, with concern etched into his face. Hyunjin shook his head, Mark worried too much for his own good sometimes. Albeit for good reasons but still . . . Hyunjin hoped one day Mark would learn to relax and have some fun.

"Of course," Hyunjin reassured Mark. "I'm fine. Don't worry, Mark." 

"So, where are you heading in a rush?" Mark inquired of the young prince. raising his eyebrows, Mark took another look at Hyunjin, noticing his boots grasped firmly in one hand and his long hair pulled back.

Hyunjin's face turned a bright crimson, "I was going to go prepare for the trip. I mean we are going soon, aren't we?" 

Mark sighed. "Yeah, we are. As soon as the captain gives the all clear and the waves have calmed down some." His eyes darted nervously. 

Hyunjin turned his attention on Mark, "Are you okay, Mark? You don't have to come along you know." Hyunjin comforted him.

"No, your highness that isn't it. It's just there have been some reports of ships going down and thunderstorms near where the captain plans to take us. But I'm sure it will be fine. Don't worry."

Hyunjin smiled at Mark, "don't fret about it. I'm sure if the captain thought it was unsafe he would call the trip off."

"okay come on," Mark said. He led Hyunjin farther into his room and farther from the door which Hyunjin wanted to run through. 

"So, why don't we head down?" Hyunjin turned to look at Mark, his smile widening with the thought of getting out on the waves once more. Mark could only smile at the young prince's antics, he remembered Hyunjin's younger days when he'd spend all his time by the sea, playing with various seaside creatures, splashing around in the tides until he was scolded by his nanny.

However the notion of getting on a ship unsettled Mark's stomach in rather unpleasant ways. He wasn't the most settle stomached person in the world, he tended to get sea sick at the mere thought of getting on a ship. Unlike Hyunjin who has never been seasick once in his life.

"How was the trip?" Mark asked, smiling slightly at the excited boy. This trip had been planned for awhile, they had visited two nearby kingdoms. The king and queen had hoped they could secure a lasting alliance with them if their son married one of their children.

The kingdom of Ara's eldest prince and heir to the throne was Hyunjin's age and said to be extremely handsome. He was also, as Hyunjin soon learned, a spoiled brat who believed everything and everyone he wanted belonged to him and him alone. Yeah, that didn't work out very well with Hyunjin or his parents for that matter. 

The kingdom of Rhurla's only princess was also Hyunjin's age and nearly as beautiful as her mother, the gorgeous Queen Alice. The princess was as beautiful as they said she was, almost more so than her mother. Unfortunately, she was incredibly arrogrant and kind of a narcissist. Hyunjin hated people like her with a burning passion.

"The same," Hyunjin sighed, he was sick of dressing up and playing the same game with all those princes and princess who were all the same. Spoiled, bratty, expecting the world to bow to them. Hyunjin couldn't stand them but it's not like he had much of a choice. "Why do my parents keep doing this?"

"Come on, Jinnie," Mark tried to reason with him. "They just want to see you married and happy, we all do. One day, you'll find a nice boy or girl and marry them. It's your parent's wish, my wish, and your kingdom's wish."

Mark smiled at him, hoping the young prince would at least try to understand. Hyunjin looked down at his feet, he shook his head. He hardly expected mark to understand what it felt like, to have all these expectations thrust upon his shoulders, being pressured to pick a bride or groom to one day rule beside him.

Honestly, sometimes Hyunjin thinks he would like it better if he was a fisherman's son rather than a king's. Ever since he was young, he has loved the ocean. Loved playing by the shore within eyesight of his nanny, gazing into the tides forming in the sand, the feel of the boat rocking beneath your feet, and the look of the deep ocean where anything could lie beneath.

Hyunjin lifted his head up to look at Mark. "Mark, do you remember those fishers by the dock? the ones who were talking about merpeople and King Chan?"

A few months ago, Mark had come to greet and welcome Hyunjin home from his trip of another failed attempt at an engagement. While they had been walking across the docks, they had overheard a few sailors speaking of legends and the underseas. Hyunjin, forever curious about myths of the sea, had stopped Mark to ask them about it. They had cocked their heads at the young prince, laughed lightly at the boy. And invited Mark and Hyunjin to sit with them, Mark would be lying if he said he hadn't been a bit apprehensive. 

"A fine strong wind and a following sea. King Chan must be in a friendly-type mood," one of the sailors had said casually as he reached for cups of water for them. 

Hyunjin looked up at him and cocked his head. "King Chan?" 

The man's large chest heaved with laughter as the curious prince's eyebrows creased with confusion and curiosity. "Why, ruler of the merpeople, lad. Thought every good sailor knew about him." 

Mark shook his head at the man's words. "Hyunjin, pay no attention to this nautical nonsense." 

The sailor set two cups of water in front of them and turned to mark, "come now, you're tellin' me you've never wondered what lives beneath those fierce waves." 

"But it ain't nonsense, it's the truth! I'm telling you, down in the depths o' the ocean they leave," another man said while gesturing wildly with a fish in his other hand. The fish wriggled free from his tight grasp and flopped into the waves. 

After a bit, they had bid farewell to the men who had begin singing a song about the mysterious fathoms below and had been on their way. Hyunjin running ahead slightly so he could spot the coach first. Mark hadn't thought much of it, they had simply been some eccentric maybe a little tipsy men who liked to share nonsensical fairytales. However, Hyunjin seemed to be still thinking about it. 

Mark laughed, "of course, they were speaking such nonsense of merpeople and their supposed king," Mark wasn't sure why Hyunjin was asking him this. They had more important things to discuss.

"Do you think their real? Merpeople," before Mark could shut down his question, Hyunjin quickly added. "I mean it would be interesting, wouldn't it? A whole civilization of people we've never heard or met before."

"Interesting. perhaps. I wouldn't dwell on it if I were you though, they're just silly fairytales." Mark reassured Hyunjin. He patted Hyunjin's shoulders, hoping it was comforting and would ease his mind. He turned towards the door, "well if you're done daydreaming, we could go down by the seashore. I know some new ships have pulled into the docks, we could leave within the next two hours if you hurry." 

Hyunjin perked up a bit at that comment. Mark laughed and reached over to ruffle Hyunjin's hair affectionately. 

"Come on," Mark said, nodding towards the door.

"Yeah. just give me a minute, alright?" Hyunjin brushed off Mark's concerning look, "I'll be down soon, don't worry." 

"Okay, hurry up though." Mark gave him one more look before leaving, firmly shutting the door behind him. 

Hyunjin walked up to his balcony and looked out at the ocean, he sighed and turned to take in his room once more before walking to the door.

"I wonder what, or who, is out there," Hyunjin sighed, gazing at his room one last time before closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stray kids' mama performance was lit!! if you haven't seen it yet i'd recommend watching it, it's amazing!
> 
> (sorry about the late update)

"Hey Felix! What you thinking about?" Jeongin, Felix's brother, swam over to where Felix lounged on his bed, staring out at the window. Wishing he could explore the land above, his father always told him to stay away from the surface but Felix couldn't help it. He felt drawn to it.

"Nothing much." Felix motioned for Jeongin to sit next to him on his bed. Jeongin sat down, drawing the blankets around them. The blankets wrapped warmly around them, encasing them in a nice warm cocoon. 

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Jeongin said, smiling sweetly. He knew his brother's mind was elsewhere, but he hoped Felix would tell him if something was wrong.

"Yeah, i know," Felix reassured Jeongin. "Hey, get some rest."

Jeongin nodded before swimming off to his bed across the room. Felix watched him go with a solemn feeling in his chest, growing by the minute. He took one last look at the window before rolling over and falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

_What's taking Changbin so long?_ Felix wondered to himself. If they wanted to explore the sunken ship Felix had heard of, they should head out now. A few days ago, a local fish had been telling his children about an old abandoned sunken ship when Felix had swam by. He had hesitated, ducked behind a house and eavesdropped. The fish had told them that sharks lurked there and that they should stay away from it. 

Felix hadn't let that scare him away though. He was sure that the sharks were just a rumor that people like his father made up to keep their children away from the surface world.

"Felix!" Changbin yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts. 

"There you are! Hey, come on! Look!" Felix directed his friend to the sight of the sunken ship. The ship was perched on a edge of land. Parts of it were falling apart, drifting into the deep abysses which were carved into the sea floor. The windows were cracked, pieces of the sails flailed in the water.

"What is it?" Changbin asked, cocking his head. His eyebrows creased in confusion.

"A ship! Isn't it fantastic?" Felix exclaimed. He swam forward eagerly, dragging Changbin behind him. 

"Yeah. . . sure. . . it- it's great" Changbin said, his voice shaking. His fin shook in Felix's hand. "Now let's get out of here."

"Are you really getting cold fins now?" Felix turned to look at Changbin, rolling his eyes. 

"Who, me? No way. It's just, it, err . . . it looks - damp in there. Yeah. And I think I may be coming down with something. Yeah I got this cough."

"Fine but i'm going inside. You can stay here and watch for sharks." Felix let go of Changbin and swam towards the nearest entrance to the sunken ship. 

"Yeah sure. You can go and i'll- sharks?" Changbin's eyes widened in fear, he sped up to catch up with Felix. "Hey, wait for me!"

Felix wriggled through a gaping window, Changbin hesitantly followed him. He turned to look hopefully at the wide hole in the wall, Changbin saw Felix swimming ahead to something.

"Oh my god, have you ever seen something so wonderful?" Felix held something silver up to the light, it was a sort of three pronged silver stick. Changbin stared in confusion, he wondered why humans tended to make such odd things.

"Err cool? What is it though?" Changbin asked him, he didn't really care but the faster they got out and back to the palace the better.

"I don't know. But i'm sure Jisung will." Felix answered, smiling giddily. 

"This is creepy, Felix. I think I heard something outside." Changbin said, shivers raced up his spine. Something felt wrong about this place, Changbin didn't trust it.

"Wow! look at this" Felix raced over to the other side of the room, snatching something brownish and oddly shaped.

"Felix!" Changbin whisper-shouted, his voice rising in panic.

"Come on, Changbin. Relax, nothing is going to happen." Felix sighed at his friend, a shadow loomed over where they were standing. The darkness grew in size, it was shaped oddly. Not like a cloud or large fish, but like a-

"Ahhhh!! Run, we're going to die!" Changbin screamed, hurriedly swimming away.

A crash resounded in the ship, shaking the walls around Felix. Changbin grabbed his friend's hand and swam through a hole in the hall, they were in a bare room. A grey shark emerged from the other side, slamming into the wall opposite them. Felix's heart was racing in his chest, he turned to look at Changbin who was shaking. 

"Come on, Changbin. This way," Felix grabbed him and swam towards the ceiling, the shark was gaining on them. Felix's bag clung on to a stray board and floated down to the floor, Felix in shook swam to it. The bag was stuck between two boards, Felix put all his weight on lifting the boards up. The shark had turned its head to look at Felix seemingly stuck and was swimming threateningly at him.

"Felix! Hurry!" Changbin yelled at him, he took another look at the approaching shark and raced to help Felix. Together they lifted up the boards and Felix grabbed his bag before racing out of the ship with the shark not far behind. 

Felix looked behind him, he couldn't see the shark. Changbin took his hand and raced away from the ship. 

"Let's get out of here before it comes back."

"Changbin, you really are a guppy." Felix joked at his friend.

"I am not." Changbin protested back.

* * *

"Jisung! Look at what we found!" Felix swam excitedly towards where Jisung's little island was. Jisung seemed distracted by his cracked telescope, he was looking in it and scoping in and out. He looked up at them as they approached, Jisung waved at them.

"Yeah, we were in this really creepy sunken ship," Changbin explained.

"Human stuff? Let me see." Jisung rummaged through Felix's bag. He emerged holding the oddly shaped silver thing. Felix thought it kind of looked like a scepter. "Wow look at this, this is special."

"What? What is it?" Felix asked eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement.

"It's a dinglehopper. Humans use these little babies . . . to straighten their hair out. See - just a little twirl here an' a yank there and - voiolay! You got an aesthetically pleasing configuration of hair that humans go nuts over!" Jisung demonstrated with a twirl of the silver prong, his hair flopped all over the place. 

"What about that one?" Felix gestured to the brownish curved object which was laying at the bottom of the bag.

"Wonderful! I haven't seen this in years. A banded, bulbous - snarfblat," Jisung exclaimed loudly, grasping the object from Felix's bag. He stared at it with wonder in his eyes. "Now, the snarfblat dates back to prehistorical times, when humans used to sit around, and stare at each other all day. Got very boring. So, they invented the snarfblat to make fine music. Allow me." Jisung blew into it, seaweed blasted everywhere. He coughed his guts out.

"Music?" Felix's face scrunched up in shock like he just remembered something important.

"Oh, the concert!" Felix said, his voice ringed with panic. "Oh my god, my father is going to kill me!"

"The concert was today?" Changbin questioned Felix who was hurriedly packing up his bag with his new treasures. 

"Maybe you could put a plant in it." Jisung suggested, holding it precariously. He tilted it so he could see inside, there didn't seem to be anything inside except some old wet seaweed which was clinging to the sides.

"I'm sorry. We have to go. Thank you Jisung." Felix said quickly, grabbing the pipe out of Jisung's hand. 

"Anytime. Anytime." Jisung reassured them, watching them as they swam into the distance. Becoming smaller and smaller until Jisung could only see the sun setting.


	3. Chapter 3

King Chan paced wearily in front of his throne, massaging his temples. He sighed loudly, he had hoped his beloved son would quit with these visits to the surface world.

The King had tried countless times to explain to his son that the surface world was a dangerous and cruel place, his son however was fascinated about the notion of another world. Just like his mother.

Felix's mother had been a curious woman, he had always admired her for that. The surface world had enchanted her. She would spend her teenage years playing on the rocks by the waterfalls with her friends, hoping they could catch a glimpse of a ship.

One day, she had dragged him out to spend some time with her and her friends, looking out for ships. He remembered putting the children to bed, swimming to their hangout spot, the harsh wind pulling at their hair. He remembered her sweet laugh, the way her freckles looked like stars. She had asked him many times to accompany her and he never had but this time was different for he had had a special gift made for her.

Their anniversary had been approaching so Chan had had a beautiful music box made for her, the box played their song. The song which has been played at their wedding, the song she had sang to him on their first anniversary, the song he had sang to her on their second, the song held so much meaning to him and her.

So, he immortalized it for her in the form of a pretty round-shaped box, it would play their song until the end of time. He was to give it to her that day, her face had lit up with pure joy upon seeing it.

She had been buried with it.

What was intended to be a lovely romantic day by the shore ended in her death. Still to this day Chan wished he could rewind time and save her. Save her from the cruel reality. That the world she loved so much would result to her demise.

After that fatal day which ended in his love's death, he had sworn to himself that he would never let their children fall prey to the cruel surface world. Thus far he liked to think he had sheltered his children rather well, but Felix inherited so much from his mother, her lovely red hair, her gorgeous dark brown eyes, her entrancing voice, and her love for unknown things and places. Including that wretched world full of those barbarians. 

"I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man." Chan scolded.

"Daddy, i'm sorry, i just forgot, i-" Felix tried to explain himself to no avail. His father was a kind man, but he was also very strict.

"As a result of your careless behavior the entire celebration was ruined. " The King tried to explain to his son, this celebration had took weeks upon weeks of preparation. For it all to go to waste due to the actions of one rebellious forgetful teenager was disgraceful.

Upon remembering the date of the concert, Felix had rushed to the palace. To find the concert hall empty. the seats long abandoned, the air held a tight tension in it. He swam absently towards his father's seat, it was empty as well. He sat down beside it, putting his head in his hands. 

His father's royal adviser, Minho, had swam up to him and informed him that his father requested his presence in the throne room. Hesitantly, Felix had followed Minho, away from the abandoned concert hall across the palace to the throne room. He took a deep breath before going in to the sight of his father sitting on his throne, disappointment evident on his face. Felix snapped back to the present with his father demanding an explanation to his actions.

"What did i tell you about the surface world? How many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians by- by one of those humans!" His father raged.

"Daddy, they're not barbarians!" Felix tried to persuade his father, the human world was mysterious at times sure. But horrible? Murderous? Dangerous? Felix couldn't believe a world that made such wonderful things could be so bad.

"They're dangerous! Do you think i want to see one of my beloved children snared by some fish-eater's hook?" Chan questioned of his son, he hated yelling at his children but he couldn't lose another person he loved to that cruel world. 

"I'm sixteen years old. I'm not a child anymore-"

"Don't you take that tone of voice with me young man. As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!" His father's voice rumbled so loudly the ground shook slightly. 

"But if you would just listen-" Felix pleaded.

"Not another word and i am never, NEVER to hear of you going to the surface again. Is that clear?" His father declared, his tone final. 

Felix's eyes welled up with tears, he swam from the room and his father as fast his fins would let him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed!


End file.
